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CNS Construction CHRONICLES
CNSCONSTRUCTION.IO | (412) 347-1040
NOVEMBER 2024
A Milligan Family Thanksgiving FEASTING, FAMILY, AND FUN
WE VALUE YOUR REFERRALS! Your referrals help the community! CNS will donate $100 of every job to local charities. Your business and referrals help people all over Pittsburgh!
Thanksgiving is a time in our family when everything stops for four or five days and we all gather in one house. It’s awesome. My cousin Calvin (the “C” in CNS Construction) and I got lucky. We come from a very loving family, and nothing highlights those close bonds better than our annual Thanksgiving celebrations. It’s a time when we enjoy the rewards of the values we grew up with — honesty, integrity, mutual respect, hard work, and shared fun. We gather at my grandma Bunny’s house near Hopewell, Pennsylvania, for a huge dinner and several days of storytelling, hunting, card-playing, and laughter. Counting my parents, Calvin’s parents, our grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, we number 30–40 people. And don’t get me started on our extended family reunions! Nearly 100 people attend those. It’s cool that our families all get along. My relatives on my mom’s and dad’s sides of the family are very close. When my mom and dad started dating, the siblings would all hang out together. After they married, the families remained so close that my cousin Alex on my mom’s side of the family thought we were all related by blood until he found out in his teens that, technically, we were not cousins. Now Calvin, Alex, and I all live on the same street near each other. Our Thanksgiving feast is a group effort. My 85-year- old grandma cooks the turkey, but she gets a lot of help from other cooks in the family, who make all the classic Thanksgiving dishes — the mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, rolls, and macaroni and
cheese. My mom always makes my favorite, sweet potatoes with marshmallows. Then, a couple of days after Thanksgiving, Grandma Bunny presents her “Turkey Surprise.” She takes all the leftovers, combines them into this big monstrosity, and bakes it in the oven. We eat off that for three or four more days. One of my favorite memories was a Thanksgiving about 15 years ago, when we gathered at Calvin’s parents’ house in Virginia. They lived in a big stone house built in the 1700s, and it had a great room where we all gathered around one giant table. Hunting together is another Thanksgiving tradition for us. Calvin was only 13 and Alex and I were 12 when we each shot our first deer during that Thanksgiving celebration in Virginia. These days, we hunt near my grandma’s house on 10 acres my uncle owns. At my grandma’s, we are often split between two tables. Calvin and I are still relegated to the “kids’ table,” because we’re still among the younger family members. There is lots of hilarious family storytelling, including some new tales and some old ones we retell. Playing Hearts is a family tradition, too. My grandma loves the game. It’s meant to be played by 3–6 people, but we play with as many as eight or 10. We use two decks of cards and just make it happen. The competition can get heated! Later, we move on to watching some football, then movies as the night wears on. Calvin and I know we are lucky to have a family like ours, and we try to bring the same spirit of respect, positivity, and fun to our dealings with our clients. We wish you and all your loved ones a peaceful, joyful Thanksgiving!
—Sam Milligan 1
CNSCONSTRUCTION.IO | (412) 347-1040
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Score Big With Family-Friendly Touch Football Get in the Game Ready to tackle some family fun? Nothing beats a good old-fashioned game of touch football when the weather outside cools. It’s the perfect way to get everyone running, laughing, and scoring a few points — without needing to be a pro quarterback. So, grab some comfortable shoes, and let’s dive into the playbook for the MVP of family games! Make Balanced Teams To get started, create two teams among your family, with at least two players on each team. While letting kids choose their teams is fine in most cases, remember that the more balanced the teams are, the more fun everyone will have. If you have an uneven number of players, you can follow an old playground rule and have one of the older players be the quarterback for both teams, ensuring everyone gets to play while the game remains balanced. Once you form teams, create the playing field by setting up small cones or beanbags to mark boundaries and end zones. Follow the Rules Before you start playing, ensure both teams agree on the rules. There are obvious ones, like where the end zones are,
how many points a touchdown is worth, and how many downs each team has — either to get a touchdown or, space permitting, a first down. You also must determine what constitutes a player as “down” — when one or two hands touch the player with the ball, whether they need to be touched on the torso or anywhere, etc. You also have to decide if a team doesn’t score, whether the opposing team takes over from where the ball ended up, or whether each team has a set starting point for each drive. Once you prepare everything, it’s time to hit the field. You can determine which team gets the ball first with a game of rock-paper-scissors and play until one team reaches a predetermined score … or it’s time to go inside and enjoy a family meal. Remember, the best part of family touch football isn’t just the touchdowns — the laughter, teamwork, and fun make every play memorable.
Why Should I Pay More for Composite Decking vs. Wood? ASK YOUR CONTRACTOR
insects, comes in colors that harmonize with various home designs, and isn’t as slippery when wet as PVC. PVC decking also comes in the color of the homeowner’s choice and is more mold-resistant, lighter, and recyclable. The other factor homeowners need to consider is longevity. A high-quality wood deck that is well-maintained will last about 20 years at best. Decks made of composite materials will last 25–30 years, and PVC decks may last 10–15 years longer. Also, these synthetic materials typically carry strong warranties that protect the homeowner against loss. We would love to hear your questions and answer them here each month. Email us at Hello@cnsconstruction. io with “Ask Your Contractor” in the subject line, and we will do our best to respond!
decking and maintenance will far outstrip the cost of other options. Composite and PVC decks are more durable. We have never had to replace any decks we have installed using these materials. But one wood deck we installed shrank and warped within a year because the homeowner did not maintain it properly. Composite decking is resistant to moisture and
Many homeowners like the lower price and appearance of new wood decking compared with other, more expensive options. What are the advantages of composite, a blend of wood materials and plastic, or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is 100% plastic, that make them worth the extra expense? While wood decking will save the homeowner a little money up front, those savings will be quickly wiped out by wood’s much higher maintenance costs. Sun and water damage can cause wood decking to splinter, warp, or fade. Annual maintenance of wood decking requires cleaning, staining, and waterproofing, and sometimes draining the area beneath the deck to prevent rot or decay. In five years or less, the cumulative cost of annual maintenance for wood decking will wipe out all the homeowner’s upfront savings. Beyond five years, the cumulative cost of wood
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CNSCONSTRUCTION.IO | (412) 347-1040
@CNS-Construction
The Good Book
Roofing Costs on the Rise Shingles Soar
“Let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” Ephesians 4:28
Although recent economic reports signal a slowing of inflation, suppliers of home-improvement materials apparently didn’t get the memo. Increases in construction costs this fall have been the largest since early 2023, and roofing costs are leading the across-the-board gains. While the cost of construction materials in general has been rising 3% or more per year, wholesale prices for roofing materials have been rising as much as 5% per quarter. At that rate, the cost of a new roof could double in five years, from $15,000 today to $30,000! Some contractors are revising their pricing quarterly to keep up. Many homeowners whose roofs are 25–30 years old may be considering putting off a roof replacement for another year or two, not realizing the hefty price increases they will face if they wait. Costs are escalating all along the supply chain, from raw materials suppliers to manufacturers and distributors. A new roof is a mainstay of a home’s safety, security, and value and, if installed correctly, could last as long as 30–40 years. Procrastinating in replacing it may result in leaks and damage to the exterior and interior of your home. Amid increases in windstorms and heavy rains, this is a good time to make sure your contractor seals your roof deck and fastens your roof decking securely to safeguard against stormy weather. A helpful tool for homeowners in making decisions about home improvements is the Cost vs. Value Report, a comparison of the cost of home-improvement projects with their likely impact on a home’s future market value. This enables homeowners to estimate how much of their upfront investment they are likely to recover when they sell. The report is compiled by a real estate data company, Zonda, and published in Remodeling Magazine. If you have concerns about your roof, call us today for a free consultation. Given current trends in building materials costs, this is a good time to identify your home’s needed maintenance and upgrades and get those projects done now.
CNS Testimonials “We are so pleased with our new siding, metal roof, and brand-new porch. Not only were Sam, Calvin, and their crew reliable, responsive, professional, and extremely talented craftsmen, they were also a joy to have around. We had a vision, and they nailed it, and quite honestly, they were better than we could have ever hoped. We are already discussing future projects.”
–K.L.
OUR SERVICES:
• Design and Build • Architecture Drawings • Custom Decks • Roof Construction • Stamped Patios
• Siding • Hardie Siding • Gutters, Soffit, and Fascia
• Windows and Doors • Outdoor Kitchens • Outdoor Living Spaces
• Concrete • Roofing
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A Milligan Family Thanksgiving
How to Turn Your Backyard Into a Touchdown Zone Ask Your Contractor: Wood Decking vs. Composite or Plastic
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Roofing Leads Industrywide Price Increases CNS Testimonials
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How to Create the Ultimate Entertainment Room TRANSFORM ANY ROOM INTO YOUR ULTIMATE ENTERTAINMENT HUB
become the ideal place to watch movies, but it will also be a fantastic video game room for gamers of all ages. A Space to Watch the Big Game Is the Super Bowl a can’t-miss event for you and your family? How about the Stanley Cup playoffs or the NBA Finals? If so, you should turn your game room into a dedicated place to watch your favorite teams take the ice, court, or field. Of course, you need a screen to watch the game, but you’ll also want to decorate the room with some of your favorite athletes’ jerseys, pictures of pinnacle moments in your team’s history, and an air hockey or foosball table. This room will quickly become your friends’ and family’s favorite place to watch games. A Tabletop Paradise For some, gaming screenless is their preferred style. If so, you’ll want to
No house is complete without a dedicated space for entertainment. You need somewhere to play board games with your kids, watch a movie for date night, or finish the evening playing your favorite video game. Most houses don’t have a game room, so we usually have to turn a spare bedroom, basement, or den into one. You can design your dream game room in many ways depending on your interests. Here are three ideas to inspire your gaming paradise. The Movie Theater Treatment Going to a movie theater for a family night out or date night is a great way to spend an evening, but you don’t have to leave the house to capture the same magic. All you need is a big-screen TV or a projector, dimmable lights, a few recliners, and a way to play your favorite movies and TV shows. Not only will this
create the perfect space for board and tabletop games. You need a large table that can easily fit everyone playing, comfortable chairs that promote good posture, and plenty of board games. You’ll also benefit from bright lighting in the room, or if you’re looking for something to shake up game night, add colorful lights that reflect the mood of any game.
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